Improvement in faucet-driving apparatus



C. P. DIFLEY & C. F. STEVENS.

FAUCET DRIVING APPARATUS. No.1'72,614. Patented Jan. 25,1876.

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N. PETERS, PHOTO-JJYHOGRAFHER. WASNXNGTON. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT CHARLES P. DIFLEY AND CHARLES F. STEVENS, OF NEW IPSWICH, N. H.

IMPROVEMENT IN FAUCET- DRIVING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ll72,6ll4, dated January 25, 1876; application filed December 21, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES P. DIFLEY and OHARLEs F. STEVENS, both of New Ips' wich, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented lmprovements in Faucet'Driving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improvement in faucet-driving apparatus; and consists in a spring-operated driver, adapted to quickly drive the end of the faucet into the faucetreceiving hole as soon as the bung is released.

Malt or fermented liquors are drawn off as required from theircontaining-casks through faucets, and before such liquor can be drawn "off the bung in the head of the cask must be sertion of the faucet without escape of gas or liquor.

Figure 1 is a view of a cask standing on end, with our apparatus applied and ready to drive the faucet. Fig. 2 is an under-side view of the foot-board; and the other figures are details, to be hereafter referred .to.

The cask or barrel a is supposed to be full of liquor. The cask is standing on one end, and the bung 1) (shown in section) is driven almost through the head 0. Then the end 01 of the faucet e is placed in the space in the head made by driving down the bung, and in this condition the opening f in the springdriver 9 is placed over the outer end h of the faucet.

The ends of the spring-driver are connected by adjustable links or rods 2', or chains, or cords, with a foot-board, j, preferably made in two parts and hinged together at is, so that the foot-board may be easily folded, to be setaway and occupy but small space, and be easy to handle. The under side of this foot-board is provided with spur-feet ll, to enter the floor or ground and prevent any lateral movement of the foot-board.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, full lines, a person steps on the foot-board, depresses its forward end, or that next the cask, untilthe spring-driver is flexed or sprung down at its ends, as shown in dotted lines. Then the faucet is struck at its upper end h hard enough to start the bung I) through the head into the barrel or cask, and the instant the bung is released the center of the springdriver g-the tendency of which is to come into line with its ends in its movement downward pushes the lower end of the faucet closely into the cask, following the bung, and a second blow with the hammer sets the fancet firmly in the head of the cask. This spring acts as a driver, and presses the faucet closely after the bung and into the bung-hole, and may be made sufficiently strong and stiff to completely drive the faucet.

It will be noticed the faucet is held against lateral movement, and it cannot be thrown out of the bung-hole. s

The spring-driver is provided at its center with a hole to receive the largest faucet; and for faucets of smaller size, or those of peculiar shape, independent holder-plates m are used, having holes 72 of difierent sizes to fit the end of the faucet, an annular projection, 0, on the holder-plate fitting the opening in the springdriver.

In driving in'the usual way, by hand, the bung is started, and the faucet, held in one hand, is placed on the bung and in the bunghole, and the faucet is then struck, driving down the bung and the faucet with it 5 but it very often happens the bung does not start evenly, or the faucet is not quite in proper 'line, and then the action of the'gas and liquor,

if they get the least start, press so hard on the lower end of the faucet as to overcome the power and steady action of the hand, and the faucet is thrown out of the bung-hole and the liquor and gas escape, losing the liquor and injuring the qualities of the liquor remaining in the cask by reason of the lack of gas.

Our spring-driver acts instantaneously and with great power, and affords no opportunity for the escape of either liquor or gas, and a cask can be supplied with a faucet without danger of soiling the clothing.

The length of the links must be adjusted to correspond with the height of the cask or barrel, and with the apparatus We shall supply links of various lengths. v

The apparatus will work equally well whether the cask stands in a vertical or inclined position, for the driving-spring will act downward or in any direction, according as to the direction in which it is flexed; and the link-connection permits it to adapt itself to the faucet and the cask-head, whether in a perfectly horizontal or in another or angular position.

The driver 9 might be a rigid bar, and the links 2' might be'strong spiral springs, as at 19.

We do not desire to confine our invention to the exact form of spring or connections or the way shown of joining them, as these things may be varied without altering this invention. I

By the terms cask and barrel we intend to cover all liquor-receptacles, such as kegs, &c.

We claim- 1. The driver g and connections, substantially as described, adapted to drive or project a faucet into a hole in a cask or barrel, .substantially as described.

2. The folded foot-board, in combination with the links and driver g, substantially as described.

3. The driving-spring, in combination with the detachable faucet-holder m.

4. The foot-board provided with spur-feet l, in combination with the links and drivingspring, adapted to operate all substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES P. DIFLEY. CHARLES F. STEVENS.

Witnesses G. W. GREGORY, S. B. KIDDER. 

